Small Business Startup Loans For Women

By | November 26, 2025

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Small Business Startup Loans For Women

Small Business Startup Loans For Women

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Women in business today have a better chance of accessing capital and business financing than in previous decades. This is in part because of the Transforming Women’s Business Ownership Act (HR 5050), which was signed into law in 1988. This law repealed state laws that required women to have a male relative’s signature on a business loan. Despite these advances, women are still offered smaller loans and pay higher interest rates than male business owners. Black women-owned businesses in particular face barriers to access to capital.

Grants are funding opportunities, usually in monetary amounts, and provided by a variety of donors. Some grants come from local, state, or federal governments, corporations, nonprofit organizations, private entities including corporations, or public-private partnerships. By definition, grants do not have to be repaid and are not considered small business loans (or forgivable loans). However, the annex may contain provisions on how the grantee will use the grant money.

Any business or individual applying for a grant must meet the specified grant requirements, usually set by the grant provider. For example, a business may have to be located in a certain county or state, employ a certain number of people, generate a minimum or maximum gross income, or fulfill a social or environmental impact mission.

Business grants are not always well advertised and may have short application periods. Ways to stay informed about new grant opportunities include networking with co-workers and signing up for newsletters with business organizations focused on women. You can also follow related organizations on social media.

How To Get A Business Grant For Your Startup

Grants take different forms. Many grantees receive one large check, while others have conditional requirements for grantees to accept the grant.

One strategy that seeks to level the playing field for women-led or women-owned businesses is grants. Federal agencies and private organizations like the Small Business Administration (SBA) have created grant programs specifically for women with businesses, from tech CEOs and founders to Main Street store and restaurant owners. These are private and federal grants, sometimes created through public-private partnerships, designed to support women in business.

Applying for grants is difficult. It often involves gathering tax returns, bank statements, and income documents, among other business-related records. Although time-consuming, it is important to check that your business or organization meets the grant requirements.

Small Business Startup Loans For Women

Filling out the entire application. The country of female founders is diverse, as is the availability of small business grants. Grants are open to all women entrepreneurs, including women-identifying, non-binary, and trans women entrepreneurs.

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Depending on the criteria, some grants may require you to, for example, work in a specific industry, run a business for a certain period, or be an employee rather than a self-employed person rather than a sole proprietorship. Once you’ve put together a grant application, it can be easier to apply for future grants. Here is an example of business grants women should consider.

Funded by WomensNet, a virtual resource center for women in business, the Amber Grant for Women is awarded to women in small business on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis. A $10,000 grant is awarded each month to women who own 12 special categories of businesses; for example, specialty stores in January and pet service businesses in July. Amber also has a non-profit category and a two-year grant of $25,000. The Amber grant application is fairly short and the application fee is $15.

This highly sought-after one-year scholarship, along with a $5,000 tuition grant, is just one component of what the Tory Burch Foundation Scholarship offers to women in business. The foundation also offers webinars, hosts summits and helps women-owned businesses access capital through loans and venture capital funding. Program criteria include preference, early-stage work and a minimum income of at least $75,000. The grant is part of the annual scholarship. The application has no costs.

The American Chamber of Commerce recognizes various categories of small business owners, one of which is women-owned. The $25,000 Big Dream Prize is awarded annually, and winners also receive a one-year free membership to the US Chamber of Commerce, as well as promotional video and print marketing. Areas where applicants are considered include community engagement and innovation in business strategies. Additional qualifications include fewer than 250 employees or less than $20 million in gross revenue for the previous two years. There is no application fee.

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Johnnie Walker and IFundWomen are offering $10 First Strides grants to “breakthrough” women-owned businesses that create more opportunities for women. In addition to capital, 10 finalists will also receive professional coaching. The requirement is to be in business for at least two years and have a minimum annual income of $25,000. Alcohol brands or companies that sell or distribute alcohol are not eligible.

The IFundWomen grant of $100.00 for capital investment is awarded to a female entrepreneur; Each of the six entrepreneurs will receive a $5,000 cash grant and a year of educational services and access to resources. IFundWomen is a financial platform for female entrepreneurs. This highly sought-after grant attracted over 5,400 applications in 2022 and is looking for businesses with a solid digital brand presence that exemplifies “meaningful impact”. A variety of businesses are eligible, from beauty to technology.

In exchange for Quick Pitch Contest grants of $5,000 or $25,000, female founders pitch the best startups to an audience of founders and venture capitalists in the industry. Winners will also receive professional services, mentorship and networking opportunities through the online alumni community. Applicants’ initiatives fall into two categories: technical and non-technical. However, life sciences or cannabis/CBD initiatives are not eligible. This showcase grant is provided by the Women Founders Network, a non-profit organization that supports entrepreneurial education for women and girls. The competition is an annual event.

Small Business Startup Loans For Women

Halstead, a family-owned jewelry company based in Arizona, awards $7,500 in seed capital, $1,000 in expenses and a Halstead Grant in industry recognition to the winning emerging jewelry designer working in silver. Several finalists win smaller cash grants and employment support. The application form includes a set of 15 questions and sending a portfolio of proposals. The call for applications will start in January 2023.

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SoGal, a global platform focused on bridging the diversity gap in business and venture capital, has partnered with sponsors such as Walmart and Winky Lux, a sustainability cosmetics brand, among others, to create the SoGal Black Founder Startup Grants. SoGal provides a grant of $5,000 or $10,000 to ambitious black women and non-binary entrepreneurs who want to raise funds and have ideas that can be scaled up. Grantees can also access the SoGal Foundation and SoGal Venture teams for industry questions.

These $10,000 Fearless Strivers grants, supported by MasterCard, are awarded by the Fearless Fund to 11 Black women small business owners in select U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Birmingham and Dayton. The 11 finalists will receive digital tools to help them navigate their e-commerce business and mentor entrepreneurial superstars in the restaurant, hospitality, digital media and sports industries. Eligibility includes small businesses with annual revenue of $3 million or less for the most recent calendar year (2021) and no more than 50 employees. There is no entrance fee.

This Her-Rise micro grant of $500 per month was provided by the Yva Jourdan Foundation, the nonprofit arm of HerSuiteSpot, a platform that helps increase the marketability of women-owned businesses of color. Past HerRise microgrant recipients have used their funds for technology innovation, marketing efforts, and website creation or maintenance. Grant opportunities are expected to return in 2023.

This international awards program awards female entrepreneurs in nine regions of the world cash prizes of $100,000, $60,000 and $30,000 respectively for first, second and third place. The Cartier Women’s Initiative Award grants are part of a scholarship program that also offers a coaching and mentoring program in finance and communication. In the early stages of development, the eligibility criteria include profit and a positive impact on one’s industry. The recently launched Science and Technology Pioneer Award rewards scientific innovation initiatives.

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Tech Who Tech created the annual Tech Startup Grant program ($15,000 for innovation and $5,000 Impact Grant), which awards $20,000 in unfunded grants to women-led initiatives around the world. Five finalists will be selected to participate in a six-week virtual program that includes pitching and venture capital fund pitches. The startups then enter a panel of eight VCs to compete for grants. The application process is free.

Visa and IFundWomen have collaborated to create the She’s Next international grant program for female entrepreneurs. Last year’s awards ranged from approximately $4,500 to $10,500 and were awarded to female business owners based in Chile, as well as Chile, Poland, the Dominican Republic and Vietnam.